Dr. Sandi Wong Appointed Dean of the College and Dean of the Faculty

March 27, 2012

Dear Campus Community,

I am very pleased to announce that, with the enthusiastic support of the Faculty Executive Committee and the Board of Trustees, I have appointed Sandra Wong as Colorado College's next dean of the college/dean of the faculty. I am thrilled that Sandi is willing to serve, as her commitment to excellence, scholarly accomplishment, spirit of collaboration, and values of inclusion, fairness, and equity will make her an outstanding dean.

Sandi, an associate professor of sociology and current co-chair of the department, has been a committed and passionate member of the CC faculty for 12 years. Her major teaching and research interests are race and ethnicity, and the sociology of education. In her campus leadership roles, she has demonstrated thoughtful problem solving, and the ability to develop and sustain mutual trust and support. Among the committees Sandi has served on is the Faculty Executive Committee, which she chaired for a year. She also chaired the College Assessment Committee and served as the co-chair of the college’s Diversity Task Force. As a first-generation student, Sandi graduated cum laude from Rice University in 1982 with a degree in sociology and English, and she earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in sociology from Yale University. She arrived at CC in 2000 following eight years as an assistant professor at Wesleyan University.

The dean is the college’s second-ranking officer with responsibilities that span the entire institution. Sandi will report directly to me, serve on the Cabinet, take a leadership role in the annual budget process, and recommend decisions on tenure and promotion of faculty to me. Sandi will assume her new role as Colorado College’s chief academic officer on July 1, 2012.

I would like to thank current Dean of the College/ Dean of the Faculty Susan Ashley for serving admirably in this role since June 2005. The entire college owes Susan a debt of gratitude for her leadership during some of the college’s most difficult financial years. Following a sabbatical year, Susan will resume teaching in the history department. I thank Susan for her unwavering dedication to the college.

I would also like to thank the Colorado College community. Through the process of searching for our new dean, I received more than 100 nominations from faculty, staff, students, and friends of the college. This level of participation is a testament to our community’s engagement.

Again, I hope you will join me in welcoming Sandi to this new role. Her commitment to excellent teaching and student success is evident in the many ways she serves the college. She is a forward-thinking leader who will work with faculty and staff collaboratively to strengthen the academic program at Colorado College. As dean, her wisdom and energy will propel CC toward even greater excellence. You may find Sandi’s CV on the Colorado College website.